Players give their Fans probably the best Present they received this Christmas – 3 points!

Last updated : 26 December 2002 By Rob Davies

Someone pinch me, I think I must be dreaming! This afternoon, Notts made my Christmas for me. We have now taken 7 points out of a possible 9, won 2 consecutive games at home and moved up to 16th place (8 points off the playoffs or if you look at it the other way, just 2 points off the relegation zone).

It was so important that Notts won this game, not only to banish

Had to be left out
the home hoodoo for good, but to climb the league table as well.

Dearden had a problem even before kick off as Nick Fenton seemed to break down in the warm up with his hip injury troubling him again, so the line up was changed with not more than half an hour left until kick off. Baraclough started the match in the back 3 with Craig Ireland and Ian Richardson.

With just one minute on the clock Notts were behind to an early goal for the second time in 6 days. Baraclough gave Betsy too much time to cut inside and fire a low shot right into the corner of the Meadow Lane goal.

Richardson had a chance to level the match after 11 minutes but his header flew over the bar.

Notts got the equaliser a minute later as Stallard was brought down in the box after some god play from the home side. After not having a penalty since April, Notts now had their second in 2 matches. Stallard stepped up to convert the kick and get the Magpies back in the match.

Sent off
Then the referee became centre of attention (which I swear is what he wanted all afternoon – and successfully got) after booking Liburd for having the ball kicked AT him when he was walking away. He booked Liburd again for a 50/50 tussle just outside the Notts box, which didn’t warrant another yellow. If it did then the Barnsley player should have had his name taken as well.

Notts were left to play out the remaining 72 minutes with 10 men, which was going to be difficult at the best of times. The referee – who Dearden described as "The worse ref I have ever seen" – lost all control of the match and certainly wasn’t consistent in his booking of players. I just wish that later on in the game, a Barnsley player who ran up to complain about a decision and slipped over in a ‘slide-tackle’ sort of way had caught the man in green!

Another brilliant game in goal
The football wasn’t pretty from either side but chances were created by both sides – but mainly Barnsley – and consequently missed by both sides. Mildenhall had another fine game in the Magpies goal, making some crucial saves throughout the match, and an outstanding save from Rory Fallon. Bruce Dyer had driven a shot towards goal, which beat Mildenhall, but bounced down off the bar and back into play. This rebound fell to Fallon whose overhead kick was brilliantly saved by Mildenhall who did well to get up off the ground in time to push it away.

The teams went in at half time with the score locked at 1-1. The boos were reserved for referee Eddie Evans – who is in his first season as a league referee – and his assistants.

HALF TIME: 1-1

Notts started the second half well, with Tony Hackworth (I honestly thought I’d never mention that name in a report again!) going close early on.

Notts had a scare when, on 57 minutes, Ian Richardson headed Kevin Betsy’s shot off the line after the Red’s player had got past Simon Ramsden.

6 minutes later the visitors had their lead back when a good ball found Dyer on the edge of the box. Dyer’s shot hit the left-hand post and rebounded in.

Missed the target from the spot
Minutes after, Notts were given another chance from the spot when Chris Morgan pushed Stallard. Stallard again was the one to take it, but sent the ball ballooning over the bar much to the despair of the Notts fans.

I had a bad feeling about the penalty. He couldn’t go for the same side again because that would be too predictable for Andy Marriott in the Barnsley goal. Instead Stall went for power and the ball sailed over the bar into the Family Stand.

Mildenhall was called on again after that to deny Barnsley a 3-1 lead after Richo made an error that let Fallon have another shot on goal.

That mistake was soon forgotten as Richo pounced at the other end to score Notts’ second equaliser of the afternoon. A Tykes clearance fell to Richardson, 12 yards out, and he fired a shot past Marriott (who was sporting Saul Deeney’s Goalkeeper’s jersey for the afternoon).

Notts kept pushing for the winner they so desperately wanted, and more to the point, needed. But they still had to keep Barnsley at bay. They did that and finally got the winner with just seconds of the 90 minutes left to play.

Netted Notts' winner
A cross by Caskey fell to Stallard who put Baraclough through to score and send the Notts faithful wild in the stands and give them that extra little Christmas present this year!

One small thing that was very satisfying to watch afterwards, was the Barnsley players being sent straight back out for their warm down barely 5 minutes after the final whistle when fans were still leaving the stands (presumably because their manager must have disowned them!). Notts fans were cheering and as the Red’s ran down to the Kop end you could hear the boos from the travelling fans. It was very satisfying to watch that as we have been in that position so many times!

Anyway, let’s hope we can continue the ‘run’ we have